Bob McLeod

The socio-economic agreements cannot be opened except by mutual consent, so we are looking at other avenues to increase the catchment area for the hiring of skilled N.W.T. employees.

The diamond companies in the Slave Geologic Province have been leaders in hiring out northern employees in the N.W.T., particularly from the North Slave region. We were following very closely the announcement that Flint Energy had decided to also look at the N.W.T. in an attempt to hire skilled workers. Having worked with the diamond companies, the socio-economic agreements that the Northwest Territories has signed with them, it came up as a result of the environmental review process. Certainly, this is an area in which we are having discussions with the diamond companies, and we’re hoping to...

I wish to table the following document, entitled Grants and Contributions Programs Results Report 2006-2007, February 2008.

Document 10-16(2) Grants and Contributions Programs Results Report 2006-2007, February 2008, tabled.

I didn’t think I had misinterpreted, but with regard to the specific policy that he’s referring to — I guess it’s a travel policy — our objective is to make sure that the most economical mode of transportation is used. I’m prepared to review that policy.

With regard to further extending the reach of the government when it makes funding available, I’d be prepared to work with my colleague in implementing the Greenhouse Gas Strategy for the government.

We’ve been in communication with a number of people, most recently with Mr. David Hudson, the ministerial envoy for Minister Prentice, who is the lead on the Mackenzie Valley pipeline for the federal government. We’ve also had discussions with Randy Broiles of Imperial Oil and the APG members, so we continue to remain optimistic.

In the work that we are doing, with most of the positions for the government that would be affected, those skills are still transferrable. I would think that with the economy the way it is, there would probably be little difficulty in finding alternative employment for those affected employees. I think it would be more difficult for businesses that have ramped up in anticipation of the pipeline. Our expectation is still that the pipeline will go ahead, and we’re continuing to work on that basis.

Mr. Speaker, certainly one of our objectives is to increase the hiring of Northwest Territories employees in all sectors. We think that we can achieve the objective that the Members laid out without having to open up the socio-economic agreements. We will be working towards that very end.

The three socio-economic agreements we have negotiated with the diamond companies require the hiring of employees from pick-up points at various centres in North Slave. The diamond companies have been quite successful in doing so. We are having discussions with them. We’ve expressed concern about arrangements whereby employees are being flown in directly from southern points, and we are having discussions with diamond companies to find the solution that would meet all of our different objectives.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform this Assembly that the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation is establishing a new subsidiary in Ulukhaktok in partnership with the Ulukhaktok Artists’ Association.

Ulukhaktok has a longstanding tradition of excellence in the creation of arts and crafts, particularly in the area of print-making. The new subsidiary will build on the community’s existing skills by providing a facility for print-making, carving and the production of qiviut or muskox wool products and by marketing these items across Canada.

The BDIC is mandated to...

The Public Utilities Board, once it has received an application for rate increases, holds a public hearing and also provides for intervener funding. The hearings play a large part in the rulings by the Public Utilities Board.

My experience is that the Public Utilities Board doesn’t take the applications and rubber-stamp the approval; it takes its responsibilities very seriously. In its most recent applications, the Public Utilities Board has in fact ruled to reduce the amount that had been applied for. So I think the Public Utilities Board is a part of the regulatory function of the Northwest...